Proctor girls win shootout against the Wildcats in JV soccer rematch

The away game at Proctor Academy was miraculously exciting despite the lopsided nature of the two teams.  The wind gusted at around 30 mph, scouring the grassy fields and the sky was a robin's egg hue.  It was an absolutely stunning day for soccer.  Like several games so far this season, the KUA girls were shorthanded with only 11 players and no subs.  They were also without their starting goalie and all three midfielders.  However, the anticipation of a fun matchup against a much bigger team was palpable among the Wildcat girls.   The coaches instructed their athletes to focus on stout defense and wait for the chance to pounce offensively.  This tactic worked well throughout the game.  The Hornets took 13 shots on the Wildcat goal during the first half alone, scoring just one of them. The KUA defensive effort, led by sweeper Chloe Dixon and center fullback Miko Stephens, kept the Hornets from getting a clean shot and were able to effectively clear the ball out to the touchline, breaking the rhythm of the attackers.  The Wildcats scored their own goal with a beautiful pass from striker Aiyonna Gay to center midfielder Audrey Underhill just yards from the goal to tie it up at 1-1. During the second half, the Hornets took another 8 shots on goal, making another one.  They also got a goal from a penalty shot.  Goalie Karen Levisay tallied 9 saves throughout the day, a fantastic statistic for someone who hasn't played goalie since she was 6 years old.  An additional 9 shots from the Hornets sailed wide or above the goal.  Proctor was on the KUA half of the field for a whopping 75% of the match.  The coaches are very proud that the Wildcats never gave up despite the apparent mismatch in numbers.  As always, there were a few close shots on the Hornets goal in the final minutes of the game that left the girls thirsty for more.  We look forward to our next matchup, a home game against Phillips Exeter Academy next Wednesday.